Matt G Kushner wrote: > >Writing is a unique medium. Would you give a "van Gogh Award to a >photographer? Does anyone know if Pryor even wrote his own material? >This smacks of politics. 1) I would give a van Gogh award to a photographer, if the award were to honor contributions in the visual arts. Would you want to seriously argue that photographers are not visual artists? Remember, the Mark Twain Prize honors American HUMOR, not just printed literature. You might consider Twain ONLY a writer, but you would be slighting his contribution as a standup comic and his acknowledged participation in and reliance on the American oral tradition. Do you really think so little of Twain? 2) Who might have written Pryor's six gold albums? Who might have written the best parts of _Blazing Saddles?_ How about _Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling?_ Who ELSE could have written his discourse on visiting Africa? Who ELSE could have created the character of Mudbone? Have any ideas? If you have any information that someone ghosted for Pryor, that would be a major revelation. Pryor wrote much for other people, and influenced a whole generation of actors, comics and writers. But this is the first time I have heard anyone suggest that he did not write his own material. The consensus among those who actually do the work on humor is that Pryor is one of the most influential humorist of the late 20th century. He's not the only influential one, and Vonnegut will certainly get his accolades (and already has). This is an annual award for American humor, and it's about time Pryor and humor got the respect they deserve. It will last a long time and many great humorists will be so honored. So chill. 3) Define "politics" please. Siva Siva Vaidhyanathan History Department Wesleyan University Middletown, CT 06459 (860) 685-2996